Veronica plant named ‘Verpurg’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Veronica  plant named ‘Verpurg’ that is characterized by its compact and dwarf plant habit, its numerous flowering stems, its re-blooming habit resulting in a long bloom season, its flowers that are intense violet-purple in color, and its strong flower stems.

Botanical classification: Veronica spicata.

Cultivar designation: ‘Verpurg’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to U.S. Plant Patent for a plant derived from the same breeding program that is entitled Veronica Plant Named ‘Verspi’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,780).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Veronica spicata and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Verpurg’. ‘Verpurg’ represents a new herbaceous perennial grown for landscape use.

‘Verpurg’ arose from open pollination of Veronica ‘Verspi’ as the female parent. ‘Verpurg’ originated as a seedling that arose from seed planted from open pollination of Veronica ‘Verspi’ in 2016. The male parent is therefore unknown. ‘Verpurg’ was selected as a single unique plant in 2018 from amongst the resulting seedlings.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings by the Inventor in July of 2019 in Haarlem, The Netherlands. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Verpurg’ as a unique cultivar of Veronica.

-   -   1. ‘Verpurg’ exhibits a compact and dwarf plant habit.     -   2. ‘Verpurg’ exhibits numerous flowering stems.     -   3. ‘Verpurg’ exhibits a re-blooming habit resulting in a long         bloom season.     -   4. ‘Verpurg’ exhibits flowers that are intense violet-purple in         color.     -   5. ‘Verpurg’ exhibits strong flower stems.

The female parent of ‘Verpurg’, ‘Verspi’, is similar to ‘Verpurg’ in in having compact, dwarf plant habit and a floriferous blooming habit. ‘Verspi’ differs from ‘Verpurg’ in having flowers that are pink in color. ‘Verpurg’ can be compared to the Veronica spicata cultivar ‘Purpleicious’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,639). ‘Verspi’ is similar to ‘Verpurg’ in having compact, dwarf plant habit and a floriferous blooming habit. ‘Verspi’ differs from ‘Verpurg’ in having flowers that are pink in color. ‘Purpleicious’ is similar to ‘Verpurg’ in having flowers that are purple in color. ‘Purpleicious’ differs from ‘Verpurg’ in having a shorter bloom period (commences bloom later in season), in being taller in height (less compact), and in having shorter flower stems.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date. Disclosures include but may not be limited to a website listing by Concept Plants, the breeder's representative for licensing (Concept Plants does not sell plants) and Kientzler (a licensee of Concept Plants that produces unrooted cuttings for growers).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Veronica. The photographs were taken of a one-year-old plant of ‘Verpurg’ as field grown in Haarlem, The Netherlands and placed in a container for the photograph.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of a plant of ‘Verpurg’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of an inflorescence and leaves of ‘Verpurg’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Veronica.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar as observed for a plant one year in age as field grown outdoors in Haarlem, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2005 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—Late spring into summer and re-blooming in             autumn in The Netherlands.         -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Plant habit.—Compact, dwarf.         -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 54 cm in height and 48 cm             in spread as a one-year-old field-grown plant.         -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 9.         -   Diseases and pests.—Good resistance to powdery mildew             (typically caused by Sphaerotheca sp.) has been observed, no             susceptibility or resistance to pests has been observed.         -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings.         -   Root development.—About 1.5 weeks to initiate roots and 3 to             4 weeks to produce a young plant from a rooted cutting.         -   Growth rate and vigor.—Low to moderate. -   Stem description:     -   -   Shape.—Round.         -   Stem quantity.—Average of 36 main branches, 6 secondary             branches per branch.         -   Stem color.—Young stems; 144A, mature stems and internodes;             143C.         -   Stem size.—Average of 4 mm in diameter and 36 (excluding             inflorescence) in length.         -   Stem surface.—Slightly glossy and densely covered with soft             pubescence hairs; an average of 0.2 mm in length and too             fine to measure color.         -   Stem strength.—Strong.         -   Stem aspect.—Held at an average angle of 20° to vertical.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching from the base.         -   Internode length.—Average of 3.5 cm. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf shape.—Narrow ovate.         -   Leaf size.—An average of 6.4 cm in length and 2.2 cm in             length.         -   Leaf number.—Average of 18 per branch.         -   Leaf base.—Attenuate.         -   Leaf apex.—Acute.         -   Leaf margin.—Crenate-serrate.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, upper surface 144A in color, lower             surface 143B in color.         -   Leaf surface.—Upper surface slightly glossy, lower surface             matte, both surfaces slightly covered with very short             pubescent hairs; too fine to measure color, average length             of hairs is 0.2 mm in length.         -   Leaf color.—Young upper and lower surface; 137B, mature             upper surface; 137A, mature lower surface; 137C.         -   Petiole.—Average of 1.8 cm in length, 3 mm in diameter, both             surfaces slightly glossy and slightly pubescent covered with             very short hairs; an average of 0.2 mm in length and too             small to measure color, strong, upper surface color 137C,             changing to 143C at the base, lower surface color 137C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Compound terminal racemes of             rotate-shaped flowers.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—Individual flowers last an             average of 7 days, self-cleaning, inflorescence lasts about             3 weeks.         -   Inflorescence size.—Average of 7.8 cm in height and 2 cm in             diameter.         -   Inflorescence density.—Very dense.         -   Flower type.—Terminal and axillary racemes.         -   Flower number.—Average of 200 per inflorescence, 5,000 per             plant.         -   Flower aspect.—Outward facing.         -   Flower fragrance.—None.         -   Flower buds.—Ovate in shape, smooth and glabrous, matte             surface, average of 5 mm in length and 2 mm in diameter, 77B             to N81B in color, immature calyx 137C in color.         -   Flower size.—About 7 mm in depth and width.         -   Flower shape.—Campanulate.         -   Peduncle.—7.8 cm in length and 2 mm in diameter, held             vertically, strong, 143B in color, surface is matte and             covered with soft, short pubescence; an average of 2 mm in             length and too small to measure color.         -   Pedicels.—An average of 0.5 mm in length and width, held at             an average angle of 45°, moderately strong, 138B in color,             surface is matte and covered with soft, short pubescence; an             average of 2 mm in length and too small to measure color.         -   Calyx.—Rotate in shape, average of 4 mm in length and 2.5 mm             in diameter.         -   Sepals.—4, rotate, 1 whorl, ovate in shape, base is broad             cuneate, acute apex, entire margins, acute apex, lower             sepals 4 mm in length and 1 mm in width, upper sepals 3 mm             in length and 1 mm in width, color; upper surface when             opening and fully open 137C, lower surface when opening and             fully open 138B, upper surface matte, upper and lower             surface covered with soft, short pubescence; 0.2 mm in             length and too small to measure color.         -   Petals.—4, 1 whorl, ovate to obovate in shape, acute apex,             lower 35% fused, lobes; entire margin, both surfaces             glabrous and matte, average of 7 mm in length and 3.5 mm in             width, color when opening upper and lower surface N81B,             color when fully open and fully open upper and lower surface             N81B to 77A, throat; 2 mm in length, both surfaces glabrous,             N87A in color, tube; 2.5 mm in length, 1.5 mm in width,             outer surface is glabrous, inner surface densely covered             with soft hairs; 0.75 mm in length and NN155D in color,             color of tube inner and outer surface N81B and 77A. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, 6 mm in length, style; 5 mm in length,             70D in color, stigma; club-shaped, 77A in color, ovary; 144C             in color.         -   Androecium.—Stamens; 2, filament; 5 mm in length, 77A in             color, anthers; double kidney shaped, 1 mm in length, 0.75             mm in width, a color between N186A and N186C in color,             pollen; moderate in quantity, 4C in color.         -   Fruit.—Fruit and seed production has not been observed to             date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant named ‘Verpurg’ as herein illustrated and described. 